Transportation safety experts use accident investigation and reconstruction as tools to discover who or what was in violation of transportation safety. NTSB investigator Mike Flanigon is leading the team as investigator-in-charge of the May 12th Amtrak accident in the Port Richmond neighborhood of Philadelphia, PA. The train was heading towards New York City when it derailed and crashed. Eight passengers died and more than 200 were injured in the derailment. At this time, it appears the train was traveling over 100 miles per hour around a curve which is twice the posted speed limit.

Fifty nine passengers were injured on March 9th when an Amtrak train collided with a tractor-trailer at a crossing in North Carolina. After six people died in the February 3rd accident on the Metro-North railroad’s Harlem Line, railroad expert Robert Comer, head of Forensic & Electronic Research Inc., said the system used to trigger warning devices was developed in 1872. Mr. Comer has studied, researched and investigated the railroad industry and railroad grade crossing accidents for 24 years.

Firearms expert witness Christopher Robinson testified in the case against Peachtree City, GA, Police Chief William McCollom. McCollum told investigators he went to bed with a loaded gun and accidentally shot his wife after mixing alcohol and sleep medicine. However, Robinson, former director of the Atlanta Police crime lab, testified that the Glock 17 is one of the most reliable handguns made and has three safeties, including a separate lever built into the trigger.

What areas may highway safety experts testify on? These experts may consult on highway safety litigation, roadway design, road way safety, and more. Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring recently filed a lawsuit against Trinity Industries, manufacturer of a guardrail blamed for severe injuries and deaths across the country.

Aircraft accident experts investigate aviation engineering, commercial aviation operational issues and maintenance. A top U.S. safety expert was quoted this week as saying the investigation of AirAsia flight 8501 “will zero in on dispatch.” Flight dispatchers share the decision making and responsibility with the captain for the safety of each flight.

What areas of accident reconstruction may railroad accident expert witnesses consult on? They may write reports and testify on train derailments, track/switch operation, maintenance-of-way issues, and collisions. Nearly 3 billion gallons of crude oil will move through the state of Washington on trains this year. The Spokesman-Review reports that the volume could triple within five years, “as highly flammable crude from North Dakota’s Bakken oil fields is shipped to refineries and ports in Western Washington, Oregon and California.”

What types of railroad safety issues may experts opine on? Railroad safety expert witnesses may report and consult on federal regulations, maintenance practices, derailment and accident investigations, and more. On May 7,2014, The U.S. Department of Transportation issued an emergency order to petroleum crude oil railroad carriers requiring railroads to notify state officials about the volume, frequency and county-by-county routes of trains carrying 1 million or more gallons of crude oil from the Bakken region of North Dakota, Montana and parts of Canada. BNSF Railway and Union Pacific Railroad subsequently sent states confidentiality agreements aimed at restricting information to emergency response groups for planning purposes only.

What areas may railroad expert witnesses consult on? These experts are able to write reports and opine on railroad safety, rail accidents, railroad safety standards, and more. In the news, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration has released its assessment of the Metro-North Railroad accidents in which six passengers and workers were killed in less than a year. The investigation uncovered “safety-critical shortfalls.”

What types of testimony may an accident reconstruction expert witness consult and testify on? They may opine on accidents involving motorcycles, ATVs, automobiles, trucks, busses, RVs, and more. Quite often this involves investigating the black box recorder data taken from vehicles involved in the accident. Some event data recorders continuously record data while others are designed to be activated in an accident. Data may include information on speed, braking, and whether seat belts were in use.

Mechanical engineering expert witness John Stilson will testify in the St.Paul, MN, lawsuit brought against Toyota Motor, Corp., following the 2006 fatal crash of a 1996 Camry. The driver, Koua Fong Lee, crashed into the back of an Oldsmobile Ciera resulting in the death of a child at the scene and a second child died a year after the accident. Stilson has opined that the Camry design could cause the throttle to stick. Toyota is one of several car makers that have recalled vehicles due to “sudden unintended acceleration.”